Lapalux immerses crowd at rare Oakland show

Watching English producer Lapalux — signed to Flying Lotus’ illustrious BRAINFEEDER label — perform is a coveted occasion. Despite the widespread critical acclaim for his experimental beats and ethereal production, he rarely plays live sets. But on his first U.S. tour following Ruinism (2017), Lapalux took the stage at The New Parish in Oakland last Wednesday night. And, luckily for all those in attendance, he didn’t disappoint.

Lapalux played alongside Daedelus, Supertask, and many other producers as part of the lineup of “Wormhole Wednesday,” a weekly event of experimental electronic music hosted by San Francisco’s Wormhole Entertainment. The eclectic, immersive experience took place amid a rather wacky setting of New-Age vendors, live painting, and attendees with Christmas lights wrapped around their legs — a small hippie festival of sorts right in the middle of Downtown Oakland.

Near midnight, Lapalux quietly stepped on stage to play. Instantly, he began drawing the audience in with his typical style of almost overwhelming, intricately layered synths. So many sounds were layered on top of one another that it felt impossible to make any one note out. A blue-tinted projection whose form was difficult to discern filled the wall behind him.

The uncertainty and tension dragged on until, finally, Lapalux dropped the heavy bass. And then the crowd started dancing.

As he played, Lapalux continued to drop heavy, bass-ridden dance breaks in between his signature airy, nostalgic synths — like those found in the track “Rotted Arp” on Ruinism. Throughout his set, the producer appeared to repeatedly played back and forth with the idea of obscurity in both his music and his visuals.

In the middle of a chaotic, practically indiscernible cacophony of sounds, for instance, a single, deeply emotional melodic phrase would surface — shocking the audience with its sudden striking clarity. And, with great attention to detail, the turn in music would be mirrored by the producer’s visuals — revealing a true human form, for example, in an image that was previously blurred to distortion.

All in all, Lapalux played a full, immersive set — with only minor hiccups — that fit perfectly in the eclectic light of Wednesday night.

Written and Photos by Eda Yu